With U.S.-South Africa ties in the deep freeze, it was notable to see the sheer size of the U.S. delegation sent to this week’s Mining Indaba in Cape Town – one of the most prominent industry gatherings and one of the few where the Global South gets a prominent voice.
The Trump administration’s famous Afrophobia seems (momentarily at least) tempered by its greed for minerals. It is reportedly walking ...
Category: Maritime
‘Welcome to CHINA’ Greets Philippine Officials on Trip to Disputed South China Sea
By Karen Lema As the Philippine Coast Guard plane descended toward the country's most strategically important outpost in the disputed South China Sea, passengers' phones lit up with a roaming alert: "Welcome to CHINA." Among those on board were ...
Philippine Senator Calls out China in Visit to Disputed Island
By Jam Sta Rosa A Philippine senator called for deepening defense relationships and "continuous" pushback against China's claims in the South China Sea while visiting one of Manila's tiny possessions in the disputed waterway on Saturday.
Australian Warship Transits Taiwan Strait, Tracked by China’s Navy
An Australian warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait, a government source said on Sunday, in the latest transit of the sensitive waterway by a U.S. ally that Chinese state-backed media said was tracked and monitored by the nation's military. In addition ...
Japan Seizes Chinese Fishing Vessel, Arrests Captain
By Hiroshi Hiyama Japanese authorities seized a Chinese fishing boat and arrested its skipper, authorities said Friday, in a move likely to further heighten tensions with Beijing. In November, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi enraged China ...
China Conducts Naval, Air Patrols Around Disputed South China Sea
China conducted naval and air patrols in the South China Sea from Monday to Friday, the China Southern Theater Command said in a statement on Saturday. "In an attempt to stir up troubles in the South China Sea, the Philippine side roped in countries outside the region and ...
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
China Coast Guard Patrolled Japan-Held Islands Almost Daily Last Year as Tensions Flare
By Colleen Howe China's coast guard patrolled Japan-administered islands in the East China Sea almost daily last year, it said on Friday, aiming to secure its sovereignty over the remote, rocky outpost and to deter Taiwan from taking steps toward independence.
Fearing China Clash, Japan Asks Fishermen to Avoid Flashpoint Islands
By Mariko Katsumura, Tim Kelly, Nobuhiro Kubo and John Geddie Hitoshi Nakama, 76, sees himself as a frontline defender of Japan's claims to disputed islands in the East China Sea, where he regularly evades Chinese coast guard ships to harvest the bountiful waters. ...
China Says It Rescued Philippine Crew From Cargo Ship Near Scarborough Shoal
China and the Philippines said on Friday they launched rescue operations after receiving reports of a sinking cargo ship near the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea that was carrying 21 Philippine crew members. Scarborough Shoal is one of Asia's most contested maritime features and ...
China Seeks Deeper Maritime Ties With Malta in Central Mediterranean
China is keen to deepen cooperation with Malta in shipping and port logistics, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said on Thursday, eager to leverage the island's strategic location in the Central Mediterranean. In an economic and trade cooperation meeting in Beijing, the ministry also told ...
South Africa Defends Naval Drills With China, Iran, and Russia as ‘Essential’
South Africa on Saturday began naval drills with Russia, Iran, and China, describing the maneuvers off its coast as not merely a show of force but a vital response to rising maritime tensions. The week‑long 'Will for Peace 2026' exercises come ...
Russia Joins Chinese, Iran Warships for Drills off South Africa
A Russian warship arrived off South Africa's main naval base on Friday to join Chinese and Iranian vessels in military exercises that risk further damaging Pretoria's relations with Washington. The exercises draw together several nations feuding with the US administration and ...
Philippines Says Fishermen Injured in China Coast Guard Encounter
Three Filipino fishermen were injured when China Coast Guard vessels sprayed their boats with water cannons and cut their anchor lines in a disputed area of the South China Sea, Philippine authorities said Saturday. Beijing said Friday it had taken "necessary ...